PD: Woman injects feces into husband’s IV

This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

PD: Woman injects feces into husband’s IV

CHANDLER, AZ (KPHO) — A 65-year-old Sun Lakes woman faces a possible charge of attempted first-degree murder after police said she tried to inject feces into the IV of her husband, who was recovering from surgery.

Rose Mary Vogel was in a Chandler Regional Medical Center recovery room with her husband about 1:30 p.m. Thursday after he underwent surgery on his heart, according to a Chandler police report.

Vogel is a retired nurse who had worked at Chandler Regional, police said.

Two nurses walked in and found Vogel handling the IV when an IV pump alarm went off. They said they saw Vogel touching the pump and that Vogel told them the line needed to be flushed, according to the report.

Another nurse found a brown substance in the line, removed it from the patient’s arm and said there was a fecal odor to the line. She capped the line and went for help, according to the report.

When she returned, she found Vogel trying to empty the IV bag into the trash, but the nurse grabbed it away from her, according to the report.

The substance was tested in a hospital lab and was positive for traces of fecal matter.

Vogel was arrested initially for aggravated assault, but a search of her purse turned up three syringes, two still containing fluid, and a third with what appeared to be traces of feces, according to the report. The charges were upgraded to attempted first-degree murder.

Investigators said they had no motive, and that the investigation was continuing.

Vogel was booked into jail on the attempted first-degree murder charge and intentional abuse of a vulnerable adult.

Her 66-year-old husband was expected to survive, but remained in the hospital recovering from the surgery and attempt on his life, according to the report.

Chandler Regional Medical Center spokeswoman Julie Graham said because of the ongoing investigation, the hospital will not comment on the incident.

“The safety of our patients has always been and will continue to be an utmost priority at Chandler Regional Medical Center,” Graham said.